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Eric Vale
Eric Vale
Eric Vale
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Christopher Eric Johnson,[5] better known as Eric Vale, is an American voice actor featured in numerous English versions of Japanese anime series. Some of these include Yuki Soma from Fruits Basket, Sanji from One Piece, Tomura Shigaraki from My Hero Academia, Matthew Williams (Canada) and Alfred F. Jones (America) from Hetalia: Axis Powers, and Future Trunks from Dragon Ball Z.

Key Information

Career

[edit]

He is known for voicing Koichiro Iketani in the Initial D series, Trunks in the Dragon Ball series, Sanji in One Piece, Kogoro Akechi in Trickster, Keisuke Umehara in Big Windup!, Huey Laforet in Baccano!, Tobari Durandal Kumohira in Nabari no Ou, Jean Croce in Gunslinger Girl series, Kisumi Shigino in Free! series, Kakeru Ryuen in Classroom of the Elite, Solf J. Kimblee in Fullmetal Alchemist, Kazuma in Noragami series, Tsunenaga Tamaki in Deadman Wonderland, Qisha Tianling in Chaos Dragon, Akechi in Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace, Casshern in Casshern Sins, Hayato Kujo in Aquarion Logos, America and Canada in the Hetalia: Axis Powers series, Ferid Bathory in the Seraph of the End series, Yuki Soma in Fruits Basket series, Tenko "Tomura Shigaraki" Shimura in My Hero Academia, Loke in Fairy Tail and Phoenix Wright from Ace Attorney.

Personal life

[edit]

Vale's daughter is on the autism spectrum.[6]

Filmography

[edit]

Anime

[edit]
List of voice performances in anime
Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source[7]
1999–present Dragon Ball series Future Trunks, Adult Present Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer, Dr. Flappe Funimation dub
2001 YuYu Hakusho Sakyo, Rando, Kokoda Hatanaka
2002 Fruits Basket Yuki Soma also 2019 reboot [8]
2003 Blue Gender Yuji Kaido
2004 Fullmetal Alchemist Solf J. Kimblee
2005 Desert Punk Kanta Mizuno [9]
2005 Gunslinger Girl series Jean Croce
2006 Mamotte! Lollipop Zero Funimation dub [10]
2007 B't X Teppei Takamiya Illumitoon dub [11]
2007–present One Piece Sanji, World Tournament Announcer (Ep. 590) Funimation dub [12]
2007 School Rumble series Oji Karasuma [13]
2008 Hetalia: Axis Powers series America, Canada Funimation dub [14]
2008 Blassreiter Alvin "Al" Lutz
2009 Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Hermit Season 2 only [15]
2009 D.Gray-man Arystar Krory III also Hallow [16]
2009 Nabari no Ou Tobari Durandal Kumohira [17]
2009 Spice and Wolf Weiz [18]
2010 Initial D Koichiro Iketani Funimation dub [19]
2010 Soul Eater Justin Law
2010 Casshern Sins Casshern [20]
2011 Dance in the Vampire Bund Akira Kaburagi Regendorf Credited as Alpha Lagrange [21]
2011 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Solf J. Kimblee
2011–2019 Fairy Tail Loke [22]
2012 Deadman Wonderland Tsunenaga Tamaki [23]
2012 Is This a Zombie? King of the Night [24]
2013 We Without Wings Hariu Kurodo [25]
2013 Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero Akatsuki Ousawa [26]
2013 Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing Victor [27]
2013 Maken-ki! Battling Venus series Akaya Kodai [28]
2014 Ghost in the Shell: Arise Tsumugi [29]
2014 Jormungand series Kasper Hekmatyar [30]
2014 Robotics;Notes Ko Kimijima [31]
2014–2018 Tokyo Ghoul Nishiki Nishio [32]
2014 Attack on Titan Luke Cis season 1 [33]
2014 Sengoku Basara: Judge End Keiji Maeda [34]
2015 Assassination Classroom Kensaku Ono Funimation Dub

Eps. 1, 3, 6, 7

[35]
2015 Death Parade Takashi Eps. 1-2 [36]
2015 Gangsta Barry Abbott Eps. 1, 4 [37]
2015 Noragami Kazuma [38]
2015 Ping Pong: The Animation Egami [39]
2015 Prison School Takehito "Gakuto" Morokuzu [40]
2015 Seraph of the End Ferid Bathory [41]
2015 Yona of the Dawn Sinha [42]
2016 Aquarion Logos Hayato Kujo [43]
2016 Brothers Conflict Iori Asahina [44]
2016 Chaos Dragon Qisha Tianling [45]
2016 Dimension W Albert Schuman [46]
2016 First Love Monster Kanade Takahashi [47]
2016–present My Hero Academia Tomura Shigaraki [4]
2016 Snow White with the Red Hair Izana Wisteria [48]
2016 Terror in Resonance Kato [49]
2016 Joker Game Jiro Gamo [50]
2016 Trickster Kogoro Akechi [51]
2016 Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace Akechi [52]
2016 The Vision of Escaflowne Dryden Fassa Funimation dub [53]
2016, 2022 Overlord Pandora's Actor [5]
2017 Knight's & Magic Tsubasa Kurata [54]
2017 Sakura Quest Soichiro Koharu Episode: "The Queen, Convicted" [55]
2017–present Classroom of the Elite Kakeru Ryuen [56]
2017 A Sister's All You Need Kenjiro Toki [57]
2018–2019 Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright anime adaptation [58]
2018 Darling in the Franxx Hachi [59]
2018 Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens Yamato [60]
2018 Junji Ito Collection Makoto Tokura Ep. 5B [61]
2018 B't X Teppei Takamiya Anime Midstream dub [62]
2018–2021 How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Takuma Sakamoto/Diablo [63]
2018–2019 Black Clover Fanzell Kruger [64]
2018–present That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Kurobe [65]
2018–2020 Radiant Grim [65]
2019 Boogiepop and Others Kentarou Habara 5 episodes [65]
2019 YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World Takuya Arima [66]
2019–present Fire Force Arthur Boyle [67]
2020 Plunderer Licht Bach [68]
2021 Moriarty the Patriot Marquis Glover [5]
2021 Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan Tekito Derekida [69]
2021 The World Ends With You: The Animation Eiji Oji [5]
2022 Kakegurui Ibara Obami Sentai Filmworks dub [70]
2022 Aoashi Tatsuya Fukuda [71]
2022 Spy × Family Zachry Feiss Episode: "Will They Pass or Fail" [5]
2022 Shinobi no Ittoki Kidou Minobe [72]
2023 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Nuno [73]
2023 Tengoku Daimakyo Robin [74]
2023 My Home Hero Yoshitatsu [75]
2023–present Shangri-La Frontier Rakuro/Sunraku [76]
2024 Banished from the Hero's Party Godwin Season 2 [77]
2024 Metallic Rouge Gene Junghardt [5]
2024–present Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf Weiz [5]
2024–2025 Go! Go! Loser Ranger! Eigen Urabe [5]
2025 Wind Breaker Kongo Season 2 [78]
2025 To Be Hero X Vortex [79]

Films

[edit]
List of dubbing performances in anime films
Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source
2009 One Piece Film: Strong World Sanji [80]
2012 Sengoku Basara: The Last Party Keiji Maeda [81]
2012 Mass Effect: Paragon Lost Essex [82]
2014 One Piece Film: Z Sanji [83]
2016 The Boy and the Beast Kyuta [84]
2017 One Piece Film: Gold Sanji [85][86]
2019 One Piece: Stampede Sanji [87]
2022 Fruits Basket: Prelude Yuki Soma [5]
2022 Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Trunks [88]
2022 One Piece Film: Red Sanji [89]

Video games

[edit]
List of dubbing performances in video games
Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source
2002 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Future Trunks [90]
2003 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [90]
2004 Seven Samurai 20XX Additional voices [91]
2004 Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors Future Trunks [90]
2004 Dragon Ball Z Budokai: 3 Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [92]
2005 Dragon Ball Z: Sagas Future Trunks [90]
2005 Spikeout: Battle Street Additional voices [93]
2005 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [90]
2006 Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai Future Trunks [90]
2006 Super Dragon Ball Z Future Trunks [90]
2006 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Future Trunks [90]
2007 Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [90]
2007 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 Future Trunks [90]
2008 One Piece: Unlimited Adventure Sanji [90]
2008 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit Future Trunks [90]
2008 Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World Future Trunks [90]
2009 Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [90]
2009 Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Future Trunks [90]
2010 Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team Future Trunks [90]
2010 Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 Future Trunks [90]
2011 Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi Future Trunks [90]
2012 Borderlands 2 Boom, Will the Bandit, McNally [92]
2012 Dragon Ball Z: For Kinect Future Trunks [90]
2014 Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z Future Trunks [92]
2015 Dragon Ball Xenoverse Future Trunks [90]
2016 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Future Trunks [92]
2018 Dragon Ball FighterZ Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [92]
2018 Dragon Ball Legends Future Trunks, Trunks (adult) [92]
2020 Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Future Trunks, World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer [92]
2020 My Hero One's Justice 2 Tomura Shigaraki [5]
2021 Tales of Luminaria Hugo Simon [94]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Eric Vale

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Eric Vale, born Christopher Eric Johnson Jr. on April 28, 1974, in , is an American voice actor, ADR director, and script best known for his work in anime dubbing, particularly with (now part of ). He has voiced over 300 characters across 284 titles, including prominent roles such as Future Trunks in the series, Vinsmoke Sanji in , Tomura Shigaraki in , and Yuki Sohma in . His contributions extend beyond acting to directing and writing for anime productions, and he is a member of the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA). Additionally, Vale performs on stage with the The Folding Chairs and has lent his voice to commercials, audiobooks, and political spots. His enduring popularity in the community is evident from high fan engagement, with roles like Future Trunks and Sanji ranking as his most voted favorites among audiences, and he makes frequent appearances at conventions.

Background

Early life and education

Eric Vale was born Christopher Eric Johnson Jr. on April 28, 1974, in . Publicly available information on Vale's childhood and any family influences that may have sparked his interest in or voice work is limited, with biographical profiles offering few details beyond his early years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There are no confirmed records of his formal education, and he entered the voice industry in the late without a documented academic background in .

Personal life

Eric Vale married voice actress Alese Watson on July 26, 2003. The couple has two children and resides in , where they maintain a family-oriented lifestyle. Vale balances his commitments to family with his professional endeavors in and directing.

Career

Voice acting

Eric Vale entered the industry in 1999, joining Entertainment and initially taking on minor roles in the English dub of , such as a random thug, before achieving his breakthrough as the voice of Trunks around 2000. This role marked a pivotal moment, establishing him within the dubbing scene and showcasing his ability to deliver nuanced performances in high-stakes action sequences. Throughout the and , Vale developed a longstanding partnership with , which merged into in 2022—where he voiced lead characters in prominent franchises, transitioning from supporting parts to central protagonists and antagonists that defined English-language adaptations. His career progression reflects a mastery of techniques, including lip-sync adaptation and emotional depth in ensemble recordings, contributing to the polish of Funimation's dubs and influencing industry standards for localization by emphasizing character consistency across long-running series. By 2025, he had lent his voice to 284 titles and over 300 characters, underscoring his enduring impact on the medium through versatile portrayals that resonate with global audiences. In recent years, Vale has sustained his prominence with ongoing involvement in major titles, including continued work on as Sanji and as Tomura Shigaraki, adapting to evolving narratives while maintaining vocal signatures that enhance narrative immersion. Career-defining examples like Future Trunks and Sanji highlight his trajectory from newcomer to a cornerstone of anime voice acting.

Directing and writing

Eric Vale emerged as a key figure in dubbing production during the mid-2000s, taking on roles as an ADR director and head writer for Entertainment. His initial contributions included serving as ADR director for the long-running series Conan (dubbed as ), where he also wrote scripts to adapt the dialogue for English audiences. He further demonstrated his scripting expertise by adapting episodes of , ensuring narrative consistency in the English dub released around 2005. Vale's production involvement extended beyond directing and writing, as evidenced by special thanks credits in the DVD extras for the Dragon Ball television series, acknowledging his support in the dubbing process. In select projects, such as various Lupin III specials, he handled script adaptations, refining Japanese source material to maintain pacing and tone in English versions. By the 2010s, Vale had broadened his scope, acting as head writer for multiple high-profile titles including Baccano!, , and , while also directing episodes of series like and . This period marked a balance between his production duties and voice acting commitments, with contributions spanning scriptwriting for over 50 anime programs. Following Funimation's 2022 merger with , Vale's roles evolved within the unified platform, continuing to influence English dubs through 2025, including voice work on the final season of (English dub released October 2025). In some instances, he directed episodes in which he also provided voices, integrating his multifaceted expertise.

Filmography

Anime

Eric Vale has voiced numerous characters in English dubs of anime series and OVAs, with roles spanning action, adventure, and fantasy genres. His work often features charismatic or intense protagonists and antagonists, contributing to the popularity of major franchises through Funimation and Crunchyroll productions. In the Dragon Ball franchise, Vale is renowned for portraying Future Trunks, beginning with Dragon Ball Z from 1999 to 2003 during the Android and Cell sagas, where the character emerges as a time-traveling warrior fighting android threats. He reprised the role in Dragon Ball GT (2003–2005), Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018) across multiple arcs including the "Future Trunks Saga," and Dragon Ball DAIMA (2024), voicing the adult version in key appearances amid the series' mini-series format. Additionally, Vale provides the voice for the World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer throughout the franchise. Vale's longest-running role is Vinsmoke Sanji in One Piece (2007–present), the suave chef of the Straw Hat Pirates, featured in over 1,100 episodes and various arcs from the Enies Lobby Saga onward, emphasizing the character's combat prowess and loyalty in Eiichiro Oda's epic adventure. As Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia (2016–present), Vale captures the villain's deteriorating psyche and leadership of the League of Villains across all seasons, including the ongoing Final Season arcs up to 2025, marking a significant shift from his typical heroic portrayals. Among his recent roles, Vale voices Gene Junghardt, the enigmatic vice director of the Independent Investigation Agency, in (2024), a sci-fi series exploring android-human conflicts over 12 episodes. In the reboot, (2024–present), Vale portrays Weiz, a supporting merchant figure aiding the protagonists in economic and supernatural dealings across the 25-episode run. Vale lends his voice to Eigen Urabe, a cunning executive in the Ranger Force, in Go! Go! Loser Ranger! (2024–2025), highlighting the character's manipulative role in the 12-episode first season and its sequel, subverting tropes. As Sunraku (Rakurou Hizutome) in (2023–2025), Vale embodies the laid-back yet strategic gamer protagonist in this adventure, covering both seasons' 25 episodes focused on quests and real-world mysteries. Finally, in WIND BREAKER (2024–2025), Vale voices Takeru Kongo, a formidable leader in the delinquent gang dynamics, across the 13-episode first season and the upcoming second season, emphasizing raw street fights and camaraderie. In 2025, Vale also voices Arthur Boyle in Fire Force Season 3 and Vortex in To Be Hero X.

Films

Eric Vale has provided voice acting for numerous animated feature films, primarily in English dubs of Japanese anime productions, with a focus on major franchises like Dragon Ball and One Piece. His roles often build on characters he has portrayed in ongoing series, adding depth to their cinematic appearances in high-stakes narratives involving superhuman battles and adventurous quests. In the Dragon Ball franchise, Vale reprised his role as the time-displaced warrior Future Trunks across several theatrical releases, portraying the character as a skilled swordsman and protector of Earth against cosmic threats. Notable examples include Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013), where Future Trunks assists in confronting the god of destruction Beerus, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), in which he voices both Trunks and the fused form Gotenks during a battle against revived android foes. These performances highlight Vale's ability to convey determination and emotional intensity in action-oriented plots. Earlier credits feature him as Future Trunks in Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13! (1992), Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan (1993), Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound (1994), Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly (1994), Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (1995), and Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1997), where the character aids Goku and allies against escalating supervillains. He also voiced Trunks in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015), emphasizing the character's growth in team dynamics against Frieza's return. Vale's portrayal of the flamboyant chef and fighter Vinsmoke Sanji in One Piece films extends the character's loyalty and culinary flair into epic sea voyages and confrontations. Key appearances include One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta (2007), One Piece: Strong World (2009), One Piece Film: Z (2012), One Piece Film: Gold (2016), One Piece: Stampede (2019), and One Piece Film: Red (2022), where Sanji battles alongside the Straw Hat Pirates against tyrannical forces, often showcasing his chivalrous nature and combat prowess with leg-based techniques. These roles maintain continuity with the series' themes of camaraderie and pursuit of dreams. Other significant film contributions include voicing the alchemist and antagonist Solf J. Kimblee in : Conqueror of Shamballa (2005), where the character pursues philosophical chaos amid interdimensional conflict, delivering a chilling performance that underscores themes of destruction and rebirth. More recently, Vale lent his voice to Yuki Sohma, the reserved yet resilient member of a cursed family, in : Prelude (2022), a exploring the Sohma lineage's emotional struggles and bonds. As of November 2025, no additional releases featuring Vale have been announced beyond these established credits.

Video games

Eric Vale has provided voice work for numerous video games, primarily in the English dubs of -inspired titles, with a significant focus on the franchise where he portrays the character Future Trunks across multiple interactive entries. His roles often extend the personalities of characters into dynamic, player-driven environments, emphasizing combat and narrative depth in fighting games and action RPGs. One of Vale's most prominent contributions is as Future Trunks in the Dragon Ball Xenoverse series, beginning with the original released in 2015 for platforms including , , and PC. He reprised the role in (2016), which expanded on time-travel mechanics and multiplayer features, and continued through various DLC packs that introduced new story arcs up to the present. This ongoing involvement highlights his adaptability to the series' evolving gameplay, including elements where players customize fighters alongside iconic characters like Trunks. Vale also voiced Future Trunks in : Sparking! Zero (2024), a high-fidelity developed by for , Xbox Series X/S, and PC, featuring over 180 playable characters and extensive what-if scenarios drawn from the universe. The title received acclaim for its massive-scale battles and narrative campaigns, with Vale's performance contributing to the immersive experience of Trunks' sword-wielding, time-patrolling persona. Beyond , Vale's video game credits include roles in other franchise adaptations, such as voicing Vinsmoke Sanji in the : Pirate Warriors series starting from 2012, where the musou-style action gameplay allows players to control the crew in large-scale battles across multiple entries up to the present. He has also lent his voice to in -related media, including the 2024 promotional tie-in That's Wright! TV!, which bridges the gameplay of the core series with animated sequences. Through 2025, Vale's work in video games has continued to emphasize fighting games and RPGs, with recurring appearances in titles that incorporate player agency and franchise lore. His contributions underscore the synergy between dubbing and gaming, where voice performances enhance without overlapping non-interactive media.
Game TitleYearPlatformsCharacter
2015PS4, Xbox One, PCFuture Trunks
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 22016PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchFuture Trunks
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero2024PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PCFuture Trunks
: Pirate Warriors 42020PS4, Switch, PCVinsmoke Sanji

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0425061/
  2. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Eric-Vale/
  3. https://marycollins.com/talent/eric-vale/
  4. https://fancons.com/guests/bio/802/eric-vale
  5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0425061/bio/
  6. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1388
  7. https://dcdouglas.com/voiceover-resources/eric-vale/
  8. https://nerdbot.com/2018/10/30/nerdbot-exclusive-interview-eric-vale-an-anime-voice-actor/
  9. https://www.anime-planet.com/people/eric-vale
  10. https://www.dcdouglas.com/voiceover-resources/eric-vale/
  11. https://animevoiceover.fandom.com/wiki/Eric_Vale
  12. https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/announcements/2025/10/13/my-hero-academia-final-season-anime-english-dub-cast-crew-release-date
  13. https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Eric_Vale
  14. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Metallic-Rouge/Gene-Junghardt/
  15. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Spice-and-Wolf/Weiz/
  16. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Go-Go-Loser-Ranger/Eigen-Urabe/
  17. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Shangri-La-Frontier/Sunraku-Rakuro-Hizutome/
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28776190/characters/nm0425061
  19. https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/announcements/2025/4/16/wind-breaker-season-2-anime-english-dub-cast-crew-release-date
  20. https://www.anisearch.com/person/8972,eric-vale
  21. https://dubbing.fandom.com/wiki/Eric_Vale
  22. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Fruits-Basket-prelude/Yuki-Soma/
  23. https://www.mobygames.com/person/146791/eric-vale/
  24. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Dragon-Ball-Xenoverse/Future-Trunks/
  25. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Dragon-Ball-Xenoverse-2/Future-Trunks/
  26. https://www.mobygames.com/person/146791/eric-vale/credits/
  27. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Dragon-Ball-Sparking-ZERO/Future-Trunks/
  28. https://www.mobygames.com/game/231762/dragon-ball-sparking-zero/
  29. https://aceattorney.fandom.com/wiki/Eric_Vale
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